Volume 11 Chapter 5 – Keita Amano and Endgame Preparation
I found out that the demon king was already waiting for me when I returned home on White Day.
…………
I know you don’t know what I’m saying. It’s okay. Even the narrator is confused too.
“…………”
Anyway, I closed my door and observed again.
First of all, the wooden sign with an ugly “Keita” name carved onto it came into view. I made that myself in elementary school. It’s a bit embarrassing to look at it now. However, I didn’t really need to get a new sign. So, this just stayed here.
“…………”
Well, at this point, I’m 99% sure that this is Keita Amano’s room. However, I can’t eliminate the possibility of someone changing the signs. In other words, it’s like the ones you see in rom-coms or detective novels. They change the room numbers or male/female signs to cause some situations.
So, I turned around and observed the surroundings first.
The location of the stairs that connected the 1st floor of Amano’s house: Normal
The location of the window opposite the corridor: Normal
The location of my little brother’s room: Normal
Finally, the scar on the door I made when I fell down: Clearly visible
…………
So, after gathering all the evidence, I finally acquired that one true fact.
“I see. This is a parallel world-“
“No, it’s not.”
Suddenly, the door opened forcefully. The demon king-sama, the beautiful office lady, Main Fushiguro, appeared.
I didn’t even dare to move and smiled stiffly.
“H-Hiya? This is weird. I don’t remember summoning a demon king-sama in my room…”
“Really? It’s quite normal for a beautiful girl to befall in a useless passerby’s room, right. You shouldn’t even be surprised at this point.”
“It’s not going to help even if you tell me rom-com plots like that.”
“I mean, this timeline belongs in a rom-com setting, right?”
I can’t immediately deny her. Well, if something has to happen in a rom-com world…!
“E-Even if that’s true, why does it have to be you? Doraemon can appear in Nobita’s room, but why the hell is Jyaian here?”
“Who’s Jyaian? You want me to beat you to death, Amako? Socially.”
“That’s even worse than Jyaian!”
“Well, forget it. Come in first, Amako. Even though this is a room filled with a virgin’s smell.”
“You’re still just as refreshingly awful!”
Main-san urged me. I dragged my feet to enter my room. After Main-san closed the door forcefully, I sighed and walked to the table. Then, I hung my school bag and leaned on the table. “So?” I turned back and asked.
“Seriously, why the hell are you here…?”
“Hey, hey, Amako. You’re saying that like I just barged into your house.”
“I didn’t actually invite you, right!?”
“But no one says anything when the hero is literally stealing from the villagers’ home.”
“You’ll be punished in real life! Don’t you have common sense!?”
“Ha, you’re saying that like I’m a criminal.”
“Yeah, this is already a crime, after all!”
I screamed angrily at the woman that intruded my house. However, Main-san just walked next to my bed and chuckled as usual. She jumped onto it and laid down.
“Phew, …other people’s beds are really hygienically disgusting..”
“Stop!”
Barging into someone’s room and talking trash about the guy’s bed. She’s already a burglar.
After I showed disappointment, Main-san changed her pose on the bed. She put her elbows on the pillow and looked at me. Her legs are crossed like a photo idol. Also, her skirt is really short today. Honestly, I’m not sure where I should look. So, I can’t help but look at the snowy scenery outside. …I even prepared myself to be teased due to that virgin reaction. Unexpectedly, Main-san didn’t attack me for that. Instead, she went right into the topic.
“Hey, Amako. I heard you’re…giving an ending to your love on White Day?”
“…Yeah, I guess so.”
I avoided her glance and answered. Indeed, today- I’m giving a conclusion to my love.
Well, it’s just giving Tendou-san and Chiaki answers as we’ve promised before.
Of course, I already made a promise to them. I also prepared the gifts for White Day too. So, I’m supposed to make preparations here before meeting them individually.
After I got home, I anxiously opened the door, and yet- the demon king is there.
Anyway, I’m pretty anxious right now because I still have things to do. However, Main-san doesn’t seem to end the conversation. She continued while lying on my bed.
“The conclusion means giving presents to the weird girls that gave you honmei chocolate. You’re going to decide their fate, right?”
“…Why the hell do I have to tell you?”
I can finally look at Main-san’s eyes. …It’s fine if she’s just going to mess with me. Those kinds of looks- that despise someone that has feelings for me are upsetting.
Perhaps Main-san understood what I meant. She immediately sat upright and apologized.
“Indeed, even though I was joking, it’s probably really impolite to Karen Tendou and Chiaki Hoshinomori. Forgive me.”
“…It’s fine as long as you can understand.”
I can’t help but avoid her eyes again. …This part of her is really cunning. She’ll throw her logic at you violently. Yet, she’ll immediately admit her mistakes and apologize. That’s why there’s no way I can be genuinely mad at her.
I scratched my cheeks. Main-san toned down her expression and continued.
“Well, I lost your ownership already. So, right now, …I’m simply asking this as a friend of yours. Are you going to meet with the girls that gave you honmei chocolate?”
Main-san looked at me with an unprecedentedly serious face. Although I hesitated for a moment, …I still answered her question honestly…as her friend.
“Yeah, I’m meeting them. It’s just that…I’ll only be seeing Tendou-san and Chiaki today. Konoha-san has her own request, so we delayed it.”
“I see.”
“Yes.”
The conversation ended. The snowflakes are dancing outside.
…I got it. Main-san didn’t come here for the sole purpose of teasing me. However, I still don’t understand what she’s thinking. Well, even though I’ve never understood what’s on her mind.
During this time, I suddenly remembered something that I wanted to ask her.
“Come to think of it, that <Smash Bros.> fight is really-“
Main-san laughed and interrupted me.
“You’re so not romantic, Amako. I played it seriously and lost to that seaweed head. That’s all. …There’s no boring truth behind this.”
“…I see. Well, that’s all I have to say. I won’t bother you again.”
“Yes, that’s all.”
Main-san crossed her arms as we smiled at each other. …Finally, I can feel both of our hearts are slightly connected.
Suddenly, I saw the clock on the wall. It’s almost time to meet the girls.
I urged Main-san to leave, “Well…” At the same time, I started packing up the presents for White Day in my drawers.
“It’s time for me to go. Are you good now?”
Even though I’m in a rush here, I still reminded her tactfully.
However- unexpectedly, Main-san’s answer was no.
“No, you can’t. There’s still something.”
“Ha? Something?”
I didn’t expect her rejection at this point. My voice is gradually getting impatient.
“What’s wrong? Say it earlier if you have to.”
I prepared my stuff and urged her. But, Main-san continued as if she’s changing the topic.
“I mean, you’re the one that should say it now.”
“Ha?”
“Listen, Amako. I’m already ready. So, don’t hesitate to ‘put it down’ here.”
“…What are you talking about?”
I have no idea what she’s saying. Even though I never really understand her, I’m exceptionally pissed when she’s dragging me while I’m in a rush. This way, that moment that I felt our hearts connecting to each other is really upsetting.
I shoved my presents into my schoolbag and turned back impatiently. Main-san’s sitting on the bed as she looked at me with her usual arrogant eyes.
Just as I’m curious about her silence, she suddenly changed the topic again.
“Amako, you gave a suggestion for Tasuku Uehara’s White Day present yesterday, right?”
“What? Why did you ask me that? Also, who told you about this?”
“My ‘eyes’ are everywhere on the street.”
Who the hell are you?
But I don’t really need to keep this a secret. So, I sighed and answered helplessly.
“Well, yeah. It’s a suggestion for White Day. …So?”
“It’s nothing.”
It’s not nothing. My precious White Day is slowly fading away.
I’m genuinely impatient now. However, …as if Main-san’s messing with me, she changed the topic again.
“By the way, Amako, Agu forced you into a corner today, right?”
“Ha? Well, I guess…”
Indeed, Aguri-san got her face really close to me as I’m going back today. I guess you can call her trying to force me. But that’s…
“Yeah, I know the details. You were really cold to her, right?”
“Well, …uh, yes.”
I thought she’ll be mad because I hurt her cousin, but Main-san doesn’t look angry. She pressed on calmly.
“Actually, you don’t have much free time right now. Yet, you still encouraged Tasuku Uehara and Agu. …Hey, you’re really gentle, Amako.”
“…What are you saying?”
“By the way, good news, Amako. Agu and Tasuku Uehara got together. Hiya, congrats-“
“What the hell are you going to say!?”
My impatience reached its limit. I yelled violently at the woman that has a higher status than I do.
However, Main-san said this with a gentle expression that I’ve never seen before.
“You’re really gentle. Really. I’m not teasing you. Also, you’re the most determined person, at least from all the people I know.”
“What are you saying…?”
“However, that’s why you dealt with ‘it’ brilliantly. Moreover, you gave it a beautiful conclusion. No one understood it. You’re amazing. Well, …at least I can’t do that.”
“What…are you talking about…”
I can clearly feel that my voice is shaking.
Main-san slowly stood up from the bed and walked to me.
“…Hey, Amako. Let say you’re the protagonist in this rom-com. If there’s any meaning for me to barge in, that will be for moments like this. …That’s what I think.”
“…Stop.”
“So, …Amako. Even if you’re just going to do it for a second, you can throw ‘that’ onto an ‘outsider’ like me. It’ll lighten up your heart.”
“…!”
I can’t stay here and entertain her anymore.
At this point, I quickly grabbed the school bag filled with my White Day presents. This demon king-sama can be left here. Just as I’m about to leave the room, I put my hands onto the door handle-
“You can leave your ‘little breakup’ with Aguri Sakurano here.”
The demon king-sama pointed out the worst and the most crucial fact that I didn’t plan to reveal.
*
“There’s something I have to tell you.”
It’s been a couple seconds since that annoying famous detective revealed her terrible conclusion.
“Right now, I don’t have any feelings for Aguri-san, not even a little. So, you’re over-exaggerating to say that it’s a breakup.”
“I feel the same.”
Main-san agreed with me quickly. So, she started announcing her theory chicly.
“I thought Amako has always yearned for Agu ever since you met her. I know this pretty well. It’s just like the feeling Chiaki Hoshinomori has for Tasuku Uehara. You two are really like clones.”
“…Well, if you know it, why are you still-“
“However, the problem is-“
Main-san interrupted. She raised her finger.
“You didn’t let anyone around you notice it.”
“…………”
“N-No, you just hide it inside your heart perfectly…”
…I can’t help but scratch my head.
“Well, it’s true that you can’t call that love, after all…”
I looked away. Unexpectedly, Main-san understood what I said. “Yes.”
“That’s why you have a feeling to ‘yearn’ after her like that seaweed head, right.”
“Sigh, I guess so. It’s just that, well, …how should I put it? I don’t think it’s like how Chiaki felt about Uehara-kun. Think about it, I’m not really yearning for Aguri-san. It’s more like I feel pretty close to her since the start.”
“Yeah, that’s who Agu is as a person. It’s more like that’s where my cousin is attractive.”
“Yes. So, instead of saying yearning, it’s more like I thought about, ‘What if I can go out with this girl?’ like a normie. However, that’s..”
“Indeed, it’s a bit too serious to call it love. It’s actually just a hypothesis.”
“Right?”
“However, even if it just lasted for a moment, this is evidence of you seeing her as a lover, right?”
“…Sigh.”
It’s a bit embarrassing since I’m practically robbing my friend’s girlfriend away with a confession. But, indeed, for a moment, this is how I felt about Aguri-san, even though she has a boyfriend. However, that’s why, after that, I-
-Main-san interrupted my thoughts.
“Amako, you’ve always put out that ‘I will never treat Aguri-san as a lover’ attitude to me. Well, honestly, it’s a bit too much.”
“Ah, …I see. I guess so.”
Indeed, I’m always saying that to Aguri-san. However, that’s even more so when I’m fighting with Main-san. It’s because that was the only time that it’s true. …I was going to take Aguri-san away. So, whether it’s for Aguri-san, Uehara-kun, or for myself, who’s about to engage in a real relationship, …I can’t lower my guard.
Main-san’s face smoothed down after seeing my embarrassed look.
“It’s nothing, sorry. I’m not taking your yearning out of your heart and making fun of it.”
“Eh!? You aren’t!?”
“What’s with your overly unexpected reaction? Even a woman like me can be hurt. By the way, what’s my image in your head?”
“Well, …uh, aside from demon king, it would be…”
Suddenly, I thought of comparison. …At the next moment, I just spat it out.
“You’re the person to kill people with a smile while humming <Amazing Grace>.”
“You’re seriously biased.”
“Sorry.”
“Whatever, I’m quite happy, anyway. I get to tease Amako until you’re half-dead.”
“Oi.”
This person is indeed the worst. But, she’s a person like that. This is the happy serial killer in training, Main Fushiguro. Well, even though I already said the killing part out loud.
I can’t help but smile bitterly.
Looking at me, suddenly- Main-san showed a purely and uncharacteristically beautiful smile.
“However, even if that’s just the tiniest sense of love.”
She said her sincere words out loud with an unprecedented amount of warmth.
“You didn’t let anyone find out. Moreover, you even tried your best to encourage them. I think, for a child like this, an outsider like me can at least praise you for a bit.”
“…………”
“Also- even if it’s a tiny wound that can immediately heal, you’ll never tell this to Karen Tendou and Chiaki Hoshinomori. Of course, that includes Agu and Tasuku Uehara too, right? So, that’s why I’m here. …Amako, you can leave half of that in here.”
Main-san patted her chest at this point.
“…You’re really…”
Yep, I’m- pretty bad at dealing with her.
She tramples on other people’s feelings and collects happiness everywhere. Yet, in the end, she’ll buff and return them to everyone.
There’s no way I can hate things like this. So, I’m pretty bad at dealing with her.
“Here, that’s it. Pounce into my attractive chest, Amako.”
“…I’ll obey rather than respect then.”
I said that and pounced on Main-san’s chest- no, I just leaned my head on her shoulder for a while. Even though Main-san looks very unsatisfied, she still didn’t try to hug me. This person does get her stuff together in serious moments.
Finally, I raised my head after a good 5 seconds. Then, I showed Main-san my bright and hazeless smile.
I have to admit it. …Compared to when I just entered the room, I feel much better now.
I have to admit Main-san gave me the courage to face those two girls’ feelings.
After seeing me getting charged up, Main-san returned to her usual mischievous attitude. “But.”
“You did more or less notice it, right?”
“Hmm? What?”
“Don’t fool me. It’s about the ‘robbing away’ I suggested before. About that, half of you wanted to take Agu away, right?”
“Ah, I see. Indeed, I did more or less think about that. But, I just ignored it as a joke and absorbed other serious parts.”
“…Tck. In other words, you already made up your mind about Agu’s feelings since that time. Sheesh, I feel like I just gave my appreciation to an idiot.”
“It’s not like that. Well, I already made up my mind a long time ago. However, I still feel refreshed after saying it to someone out loud. It’s like getting rid of your constipation.”
“You’re treating Agu as constipation? …You’re even meaner than me.”
“Anyway, all I want to say is thanks. Thank you.”
“…O-Oh.”
Main-san said that and looked away a bit embarrassingly. …Okay, not going to lie, she looks a bit cute.
Anyway, I’ve completely prepared myself mentally.
All that’s left is to move forward.
“…Well, it’s time for me to go, Main-san.”
“…Sure.”
This time, Main-san didn’t stop me.
I walked next to her and grabbed the handle. I pressed it down and finally entered the corridor-
“…………”
-At that time, I stopped again.
“Hmm? What’s wrong, Amako? Did you forget something?”
Main-san looked at me confusedly.
I turned and looked at her eyes silently.
At the next second, I walked to the table and searched in the drawers.
“Hey? What’s wrong, Amako? Did you forget something?”
“Well, I guess so. …Ah, here it is.”
I got what I want a couple seconds later. Then, I showed Main-san. She squinted her eyes curiously.
“Hmm? What? Chocolate? …Black Thunder? …Uh, ah, that’s the important Valentine’s chocolate Mii said earlier…”
Main-san finally realized it. Yep, …it’s good that she knows what this is.
I showed a charming smile and slowly peeled off the wrapping paper-
-I tore Aguri-san’s Black Thunder chocolate’s wrap apart.
At the next moment-
“Ah, hey-“
-Main-san dropped her jaw as I shoved all of the chocolate into my mouth.
So, I chewed the tasteless chocolate violently.
Then, I rubbed the wrapping paper and threw it into the bin before walking to the door. Then, when I’m passing over Main-san- I yelled loudly with my mouth full of chocolate.
“I’ll be leaving!”
Facing my utterly idiotic action-
Main-san looks shocked for a moment. However, she immediately said, “Fantastic!” She showed a genuinely happy smile. …Thanks.
So, I stomped on the ground loudly as I went out. Main-san sent me her usual mischievous laughs.
Usually, this laughter does nothing but bother me. However, right now, for some reason, …her flippant laughs comforted me.
I walked to the stairs that lead downward before turning around again.
After that, Main-san- she’s right outside of my room. Although she still finds this pretty amusing as she hugged her chest while laughing, she gave me a strong thumbs up. The person said her farewell.
“Go, Amako. I’ll hug you- if you crashed into pieces.”
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